Process for preparing aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halides

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a process for preparing an aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide represented by the formula (3), the process comprising halogenating an aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfide represented by the formula (1) or an aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfoxide represented by the formula (2) with a halogenating agent in the presence of water 
     
         Ar.paren open-st.SCH.sub.3-m X.sub.m).sub.n                (1) 
    
     
         Ar.paren open-st.SOCH.sub.3-m X.sub.m).sub.n               (2) 
    
     
         Ar.paren open-st.SO.sub.2 Y).sub.n                         (3) 
    
     wherein Ar is an aromatic ring or a heteroaromatic ring which is unsubstituted or which has an optional substituent or substituents, X and Y are halogen atoms, m is an integer of 0 to 3 and n is 1 or 2. According to the present invention, aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halides can be produced industrially cheaply and easily.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application is a 371 of PCT/JP 95/02675 filed on Dec. 12, 1995.

The present invention relates to a novel process for preparing aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halides. Aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halides are useful compounds which are used in various applications as pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, functional materials or the like.

BACKGROUND ART

Many processes have been known for preparing aromatic sulfonyl halides. These processes are classified as follows.

(A) Process involving sulfonation

Halogen substitution reaction of sulfonate R. Adams, C. S. Marvel, Org. Synth., I,84 (1941) ##STR1## Sulfonation with chlorosulfuric acid or the like M. S. Morgan, L. H. Cretcher, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 70.375 (1948) ##STR2##

(B) Process involving formation of diazonium salt

H. Meerwein, E. Buchner, K. van Emster, J. Prakt, Chem., 2!152.251 (1939) ##STR3##

(C) Process utilizing metallization reaction

T. Hamada and O. Yonemitsu, Synthesis, 1986, 852 ##STR4##

(D) Process involving chlorination of thiol derivative

I. B. Douglass, T. B. Johnson, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 60, 1486 (1938)

Y. J. Park, H. Hyun, Y. H. Kim, Chem. Lett., 1483, 1992 ##STR5##

However, these known processes entail the following drawbacks when industrially carried out.

In the process (A), it is difficult to conduct a reaction in case of an aromatic ring having a nitro group, a cyano group, a carboxyl group or the like attached thereto or in case of a pyridine ring. In this process, generally at least two halogenated sulfonyl groups can not be easily introduced into one aromatic ring.

The process (B) tends to involve a lengthy procedure and poses a problem about the disposal of waste water which arises from the use of a large amount of copper salt. Thus the process is undesirable from the viewpoints of economy and protection of environment. Further, a diazonium salt itself is far from being stable and problematic as to safe operation.

The process (C) if industrially practiced does not economically pay in many instances because of a low yield and an expensive reagent used.

In the process (D), an aromatic substituted thiol derivative to be used as the raw material is often difficult to obtain at low costs on an industrial scale.

As described above, conventional processes for preparing aromatic sulfonyl halides are uneconomical and are not easy to industrially carry out in most cases. Consequently there has been a demand for processes capable of industrially manufacturing various aromatic sulfonyl halide derivatives at low costs.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for preparing an aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide industrially at low costs and with ease.

The present inventors conducted extensive research to overcome the foregoing prior art drawbacks and to provide a process for preparing an aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide industrially at low costs and with ease.

The finding was that the contemplated aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halides can be produced in high yields when using an aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfide or an aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfoxide as the raw material and halogenating said compound in the presence of water. The present invention was completed based on this novel finding.

While the reaction mechanism remains to be clarified, it is presumed that a bond between the sulfur atom and the carbon atom of methyl group in the aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfide or the aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfoxide used as the raw material is selectively and easily split, and the oxidation or halogenation of the sulfur atom occurs substantially coincidentally.

The first invention of the present application provides a novel process for preparing an aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide represented by the formula (3), the process comprising halogenating an aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfide represented by the formula (1) shown below with a halogenating agent in the presence of water

    Ar.paren open-st.SCH.sub.3-m X.sub.m).sub.n                (1)

    Ar.paren open-st.SO.sub.2 Y).sub.n                         (3)

wherein Ar is an aromatic ring or a heteroaromatic ring which is unsubstituted or which has an optional substituent or substituents, X and Y are halogen atoms, m is an integer of 0 to 3 and n is 1 or 2.

The second invention of the present application provides a novel process for preparing an aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide represented by the formula (3), the process comprising halogenating an aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfoxide represented by the formula (2) shown below with a halogenating agent in the presence of water

    Ar.paren open-st.SOCH.sub.3-m X.sub.m).sub.n               (2)

    Ar.paren open-st.SO.sub.2 Y).sub.n                         (3)

wherein Ar is an aromatic ring or a heteroaromatic ring which is unsubstituted or which has an optional substituent or substituents, X and Y are halogen atoms, m is an integer of 0 to 3 and n is 1 or 2.

According to the present invention, a halogenated sulfonyl group can be easily introduced into an aromatic ring having a cyano group or the like as a substituent or a pyridine ring, and one or two halogenated sulfonyl groups can be easily introduced into one aromatic ring, although heretofore the synthesis has been difficult or a multi-step procedure has been necessitated.

The present invention is specifically described below in detail.

The sulfide and sulfoxide represented by the formulas (1) and (2), respectively which are used as the raw materials in the present invention include those prepared by any methods and can be more easily prepared, e.g. by the process for preparing 2,5-dichloroalkylthio-benzene which process was elucidated by the present inventors (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No.56760/1994).

Stated more specifically, the sulfide useful as the raw material can be easily prepared by reacting an aromatic or heteroaromatic compound having no substituent or having an optional substituent or substituents with an alkanethiol in a heterogeneous system, that is, in the presence of a base and a quaternary ammonium salt as a catalyst in water or a water/water-insoluble organic solvent mixture. A sulfoxide or a halomethyl sulfide can be produced by the oxidation or halogenation of the obtained sulfide.

The aromatic or heteroaromatic rings represented by Ar in the formulas are not specifically limited in the present invention and include a wide variety of aromatic or heteroaromatic rings which are unsubstituted or which have an optional substituent or substituents. Examples of useful aromatic or heteroaromatic rings are a benzene ring, naphthalene ring, pyridine ring, pyrazole ring, pyrazine ring, triazine ring, triazole ring, oxazole ring, isoxazole ring, thiazole ring, isothiazole ring, thiophene ring, benzothiophene ring, furan ring, benzofuran ring, pyrrole ring, indole ring, etc. Preferred examples are a benzene ring, pyridine ring, thiophene ring, thiazole ring and isothiazole ring.

Examples of optional substituents are halogen, cyano group, nitro group, formyl group, alkylcarbonyl group, carboxyl ester group, carbamoyl group, alkyl group, alkoxyl group, substituted phenylthio group, etc.

X in the sulfide of the formula (1) or in the sulfoxide of the formula (2) represents a chlorine atom or a bromine atom. Economically the compound wherein X is a chlorine atom is preferred. While m is an integer of 0 to 3, a compound wherein m is 0 is generally easily available. However, when the yield of the desired product is to be increased, a better result is given by a compound wherein m is 1, namely a halomethyl sulfide or a halomethyl sulfoxide, or a compound wherein m is 2, namely a dihalomethyl sulfide or a dihalomethyl sulfoxide.

In the present invention, the reaction is made to proceed for converting a sulfide or a sulfoxide to a sulfonyl halide in a high yield by the addition of a halogenating agent in the presence of water. The amount of water to be used in the present invention is not specifically determinable since it is variable depending on the sulfide or sulfoxide selected as the raw material. Yet, usually the amount of water to be used is 1 to 100 moles, preferably 3 to 50 moles, per mole of the sulfide or sulfoxide used as the raw material.

The halogenating agent used in the reaction includes, for example, chlorine, bromine, sulfuryl chloride, sulfuryl bromide and so on among which chlorine is preferred from the economical viewpoint. The amount of the halogenating agent to be used is not specifically determinable because it is variable depending on the raw material used. Yet, usually the amount is 2 to 50 moles, preferably 3 to 20 moles, per mole of the sulfide or sulfoxide used as the raw material.

There is no specific limitation on the solvent insofar as it is inert to the sulfonyl halides produced. While water can be used, useful solvents are various and include hydrocarbons such as hexane, cyclohexane and heptane, halogenated hydrocarbons such as dichloroethane, dichloromethane and chloroform, and aromatic hydrocarbons such as chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene and trichlorobenzene. When a solvent is used, the amount of the solvent is not specifically limited but is usually 0.1 to 10 times the weight of the sulfide or sulfoxide.

The reaction temperature is usually in the range of -10° to 100° C., preferably 0° to 50° C. If the reaction temperature is too low, the reaction rate is reduced, whereas if the reaction temperature is too high, a side reaction occurs, leading to a low yield. The reaction time is usually in the range of about 0.5 to about 10 hours.

The aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide thus obtained can be easily isolated by common distillation or crystallization.

The aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halides which can be produced according to the present invention include various compounds such as 4-chlorobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 4-bromobenzenesulfonyl bromide, 2,5-dichlorobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 1,2-benzenedisulfonyl chloride, 4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 4-cyanobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 2-cyanobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 4-methylbenzenesulfonyl chloride, (4-chlorosulfonyl-phenyl)ethyl ketone, 4-chlorosulfonylbenzoic acid amide, 4-chlorosulfonylbenzoic acid methyl ester, 2-cyano-3-chlorobenzenesulfonyl chloride, (4-chlorosulfonyl-phenyl)phenyl sulfide, 2-chlorosulfonylpyridine, 2,6-dichlorosulfonylpyridine, 2-chlorosulfonylthiophene, 2,5-dichlorosulfonylthiophene, 2-chlorosulfonylpyrazine, 4-chlorosulfonyltriazole, 2-chlorosulfonyloxazole, 4-chlorosulfonylisoxazole, 2-chlorosulfonylthiazole, 4-chlorosulfonylisothiazole and so on. Preferred are 2-cyanobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 4-cyanobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride and 4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride.

The compounds which can be produced in the present invention are not limited at all to the examples given above.

The present invention provides a novel process for preparing aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halides which are used in various applications as pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, functional materials and so on. According to the process of the present invention, the contemplated product can be obtained in a high yield by a simple process comprising halogenating an industrially available aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfide or aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfoxide in the presence of water. Thus, the process of the invention is of economically, industrially high value.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention is described below in more detail with reference to the following examples to which, however, the invention is not limited in any way.

EXAMPLE 1

4-cyanophenyl methyl sulfide used as the raw material was prepared in accordance with the process disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 56760/1994. Stated more specifically, 165.1 g (1.2 moles) of 1-chloro-4-cyanobenzene and 17.8 g (0.055 mole) of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide as a phase transfer catalyst were added to a 2-liter, 4-necked flask equipped with a stirrer, thermometer and condenser. Then, 616.0 g (1.3 moles) of an aqueous solution of a sodium salt of methanethiol adjusted to a concentration of 15% by weight was added. The mixture was stirred at 80° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, and the precipitated crystals were collected by filtration and recrystallized from methanol, giving 170.4 g of 4-cyanophenyl methyl sulfide.

The 4-cyanophenyl methyl sulfide thus obtained (149.0 g, 1.00 mole) was charged into a 2-liter, 4-necked flask equipped with a stirrer, thermometer, condenser and gas inlet tube. To the flask was added 80 g of water and 800 g of monochlorobenzene after which 497 g (7.00 moles) of chlorine was blown into the flask at 25° C. over a period of about 5 hours to complete the reaction. After completion of the reaction, the oil layer was separated, about 50 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate was added and the mixture was left to stand for about 1 hour to remove the water. Thereafter the solvent was distilled off to give crude crystals. The crude crystals were dissolved in monochlorobenzene. A poor solvent was added for recrystallization to produce 183.5 g of 4-cyanobenzene-sulfonyl chloride as white crystals in a yield of 91% as calculated based on 4-cyanophenyl methyl sulfide.

EXAMPLES 2 TO 26

The same procedure as described in the latter part of Example 1 was conducted with the exception of altering the aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfide used as the starting material to the compounds as shown below in Tables 1, 2 and 3, giving the corresponding aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl chlorides.

                                      TABLE 1                                      __________________________________________________________________________                                         Yield                                      Ex.                                                                              Starting Material Product         (%)                                        __________________________________________________________________________     2 4-Chlorophenyl methyl sulfide                                                                    4-Chlorobenzenesulfonyl chloride                                                               90.2                                       3 2-Chlorophenyl trichloromethyl                                                                   2-Chlorobenzenesulfonyl chloride                                                               92.1                                         sulfide                                                                      4 2-Chlorophenyl methyl sulfoxide                                                                  2-Chlorobenzenesulfonyl chloride                                                               90.2                                       5 2,4-Dichlorophenyl methyl sulfide                                                                2,4-Dichlorobenzene sulfonyl                                                                   94.1                                                           chloride                                                   6 2,5-Dichlorophenyl dichloromethyl                                                                2,5-Dichlorobenzenesulfonyl                                                                    92.5                                         sulfide           chloride                                                   7 2,6-Dibromophenyl chloromethyl                                                                   2,6-Dibromobenzenesulfonyl                                                                     94.5                                         sulfide           chloride                                                   8 3,5-Dibromophenyl methyl sulfoxide                                                               3,5-Dibromobenzenesulfonyl                                                                     93.0                                                           chloride                                                   9 4-Bromophenyl chloromethyl sulfide                                                               4-Bromobenzenesulfonyl chloride                                                                89.0                                       10                                                                               4-Bromophenyl dichloromethyl sulfide                                                             4-Bromobenzenesulfonyl chloride                                                                91.2                                       11                                                                               1,4-Di(dichloromethylthio)benzene                                                                1,4-Benzenedisulfonyl chloride                                                                 85.2                                       __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE 2                                      __________________________________________________________________________                                         Yield                                      Ex.                                                                               Starting Material Product        (%)                                        __________________________________________________________________________     12 1,4-Di(methylsulfinyl)benzene                                                                    1,4-Benzenedisulfonyl chloride                                                                86.4                                       13 1,2-Dimethylthiobenzene                                                                          1,2-Benzenedisulfonyl chloride                                                                82.3                                       14 1,2-Dimethylthio-4-butylbenzene                                                                  4-Butyl-1,2-benzenedisulfonyl                                                                 82.6                                                            chloride                                                  15 4-Cyanophenyl chloromethyl sulfide                                                               4-Cyanobenzenesulfonyl chloride                                                               95.0                                       16 2-Cyanophenyl dichloromethyl sulfide                                                             2-Cyanobenzenesulfonyl chloride                                                               85.0                                       17 4-Nitrophenyl chloromethyl sulfoxide                                                             4-Nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride                                                               95.0                                       18 2-Nitrophenyl methyl sulfide                                                                     2-Nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride                                                               95.0                                       *19                                                                               Methyl 4-(methylthio)benzoate                                                                    Methyl 4-(chlorosulfonyl)benzoate                                                             90.1                                       20 2-Cyano-3-chlorophenyl methyl sulfide                                                            2-Cyano-3-chlorobenzenesulfonyl                                                               93.1                                                            chloride                                                  __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE 3                                      __________________________________________________________________________                                        Yield                                       Ex.                                                                              Starting Material                                                                               Product         (%)                                         __________________________________________________________________________     21                                                                               4,4'-Di(methylthio)diphenyl sulfide                                                             4,4'-Di(chlorosulfonyl)diphenyl                                                                94.5                                                           sulfide                                                     22                                                                               4,4'-Di(methylthio)-2,2'-                                                                       2,2'-(Dicyano)-4,4'-di(chloro-                                                                 95.6                                          (dicyano)diphenyl sulfide                                                                       sulfonyl)diphenyl sulfide                                   23                                                                               4-(Phenylsulfonyl)phenyl methyl                                                                 4-(Phenylsulfonyl)phenylsulfonyl                                                               92.1                                          sulfide          chloride                                                    24                                                                               1-Naphthyl methyl sulfide                                                                       1-Naphthylsulfonyl chloride                                                                    92.8                                        25                                                                               1-Cyano-4-methyithio-naphthalene                                                                1-Cyano-4-chlorosulfonyl-                                                                      92.8                                                           naphthalene                                                 26                                                                               Methyl 3-methylthio-2,5-thiophene-                                                              Methyl 3-chlorosulfonyl-2,5-                                                                   85.2                                          dicarboxylate    thiophenedicarboxylate                                      __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE 27

A 2-liter, 4-necked flask equipped with a stirrer, thermometer, condenser and a dropping funnel having a by-pass was charged with 20.4 g (0.10 mole) of 4-nitrophenyl methyl sulfide, 10 g of water and 200 g of monochlorobenzene. Then, 94.5 g (0.70 mole) of sulfuryl chloride was added dropwise at 10° C. over a period of about 2 hours. Thereafter the mixture was stirred at 10° C. for 6 hours to complete the reaction. After completion of the reaction, the oil layer was separated and 10 g of water was added to accomplish washing. Then, the oil layer was separated and left to stand for about 1 hour with the addition of about 5 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate to remove the water. The solvent was distilled off to give crude crystals. The crude crystals were dissolved in monochlorobenzene and a poor solvent was added for recrystallization, giving 21.1 g of 4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride as white crystals in a yield of 95% as calculated based on 4-nitrophenyl methyl sulfide.

EXAMPLES 28 TO 52

The same procedure as in Example 27 was conducted with the exception of altering a combination of aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfide used as the starting material and a halogenating agent to the compounds as shown below in Tables 4, 5 and 6, giving the corresponding aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halides.

                                      TABLE 4                                      __________________________________________________________________________                       Haloge-                                                                        nating            Yield                                      Ex.                                                                              Starting Material                                                                              agent                                                                               Product      (%)                                        __________________________________________________________________________     28                                                                               2-Pyridyl methyl sulfide                                                                       Sulfuryl                                                                            2-Chlorosulfonylpyridine                                                                    93.1                                                         chloride                                                     29                                                                               4-Pyridyl methyl sulfide                                                                       Sulfuryl                                                                            4-Chlorosulfonylpyridine                                                                    94.5                                                         chloride                                                     30                                                                               2,6-Di(methylthio)pyridine                                                                     Sulfuryl                                                                            2,6-Di(chlorosulfonyl)-                                                                     95.6                                                         chloride                                                                            pyridine                                                31                                                                               2-Pyrazyl methyl sulfide                                                                       Sulfuryl                                                                            2-Chlorosulfonylpyrazine                                                                    94.3                                                         chloride                                                     32                                                                               4-Triazyl chloromethyl sulfide                                                                 Sulfuryl                                                                            4-Chlorosulfonyltriazine                                                                    92.1                                                         chloride                                                     33                                                                               2-Oxazyl dichloromethyl sulfide                                                                Sulfuryl                                                                            2-Chlorosulfonyloxazole                                                                     92.8                                                         chloride                                                     34                                                                               4-Isothiazyl dichloromethyl                                                                    Sulfuryl                                                                            4-Chlorosulfonyl-                                                                           94.5                                         sulfide         chloride                                                                            isothiazole                                             35                                                                               3,5-Dichlorophenyl dichloromethyl                                                              Bromine                                                                             3,5-Dichlorobenzenesulfonyl                                                                 90.2                                         sulfide              bromide                                                 36                                                                               4-Bromophenyl dichloromethyl                                                                   Bromine                                                                             4-Bromobenzenesulfonyl                                                                      95.4                                         sulfide              bromide                                                 37                                                                               4-Bromophenyl trichloromethyl                                                                  Bromine                                                                             4-Bromobenzenesulfonyl                                                                      92.1                                         sulfide              bromide                                                 __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE 5                                      __________________________________________________________________________                       Halogenating      Yield                                      Ex.                                                                              Starting Material                                                                              agent Product     (%)                                        __________________________________________________________________________     38                                                                               1,4-Di(dichloromethylthio)benzene                                                              Bromine                                                                              1,4-Benzenedisulfonyl                                                                      90.2                                                               bromide                                                39                                                                               1,4-Di(trichloromethyl-                                                                        Bromine                                                                              1,4-Benzenedisulfonyl                                                                      94.1                                         thio)benzene          bromide                                                40                                                                               1,2-Di(dichloromethylthio)-                                                                    Bromine                                                                              1,2-Benzenedisulfonyl                                                                      92.5                                         benzene               bromide                                                41                                                                               1,2-Di(dichloromethylthio)-4-                                                                  Bromine                                                                              4-Butyl-1,2-benzene-                                                                       94.5                                         butylbenzene          disulfonyl bromide                                     42                                                                               4-Cyanophenyl dichloromethyl                                                                   Bromine                                                                              4-Cyanobenzenesulfonyl                                                                     93.0                                         sulfide               bromide                                                43                                                                               2-Cyanophenyl dichloromethyl                                                                   Bromine                                                                              2-Cyanobenzenesulfonyl                                                                     89.0                                         sulfide               bromide                                                44                                                                               4-Nitrophenyl dichloromethyl                                                                   Bromine                                                                              4-Nitrobenzenesulfonyl                                                                     91.2                                         sulfide               bromide                                                45                                                                               Methyl 4-(dichloromethylthio)-                                                                 Bromine                                                                              Methyl 4-(bromosulfonyl)-                                                                  85.2                                         benzoate              benzoate                                               46                                                                               2-Cyano-3-chlorophenyl dichloro-                                                               Bromine                                                                              2-Cyano-3-chlorobenzene-                                                                   86.4                                         methyl sulfide        sulfonyl bromide                                       __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE 6                                      __________________________________________________________________________                       Haloge-                                                                        nating            Yield                                      Ex.                                                                              Starting Material                                                                              agent                                                                               Product      (%)                                        __________________________________________________________________________     47                                                                               4,4'-Di(dichloromethylthio)-                                                                   Bromine                                                                             4,4'-Di(bromosulfonyl)-                                                                     82.3                                         diphenyl sulfide     diphenyl sulfide                                        48                                                                               4,4'-Di(dichloromethylthio)-2,2'-                                                              Bromine                                                                             2,2'-(Dicyano)-4,4'-                                                                        82.6                                         (dicyano)diphenyl sulfide                                                                           di(bromosulfonyl)diphenyl                                                      suifide                                                 49                                                                               4-(Phenylthio)phenyl                                                                           Bromine                                                                             4-(Phenylthio)phenyl-                                                                       95.0                                         dichloromethyl sulfide                                                                              sulfonyl bromide                                        50                                                                               4-(Phenylsulfonyl)phenyl dichloro-                                                             Bromine                                                                             4-(Phenylsulfonyl)phenyl-                                                                   85.0                                         methyl sulfide       sulfonyl bromide                                        51                                                                               1-Naphthyl dichloromethyl sulfide                                                              Bromine                                                                             1-Naphthylsulfonyl bromide                                                                  95.0                                       52                                                                               2-Naphthyl dichloromethyl sulfide                                                              Bromine                                                                             2-Naphthylsulfonyl bromide                                                                  90.1                                       __________________________________________________________________________ 

What is claimed is:
 1. A process for preparing an aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide represented by the formula (3), the process comprising reacting an aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfide represented by the formula (1)with a halogenating agent in the presence of water

    Ar.paren open-st.SCH.sub.3-m X.sub.m).sub.n                (1)

    Ar.paren open-st.SO.sub.2 Y).sub.n                         (3)

wherein Ar is an aromatic ring or a heteroaromatic ring which is unsubstituted or which has an optional substituent or substituents, X and Y are halogen atoms, m is an inter of 1 to 3 and n is 1 or
 2. 2. The process according to claim 1, wherein X in the formula (1) is a chlorine atom.
 3. The process according to claim 1, wherein m in the formula (1) is 1 or
 2. 4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the halogenating agent is chlorine.
 5. The process according to claim 1, wherein Ar in the formula (1) and the formula (3) is a benzene ring, pyridine ring, thiophene ring, thiazole ring or isothiazole ring, said rings being unsubstituted or having an optional substituent or substituents.
 6. The process according to claim 1, wherein Ar in the formula (1) and the formula (3) is an aromatic ring or heteroaromatic ring having halogen, cyano group, nitro group, formyl group, alkylcarbonyl group, carboxyl ester group, carbamoyl group, alkyl group, alkoxyl group or substituted phenylthio group in an optional position or positions.
 7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the compound represented by the formula (3) is 2-cyanobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 4-cyanobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride or 4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride.
 8. A process for preparing an aromatic or heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide represented by the formula (3), the process comprising reacting an aromatic or heteroaromatic methyl sulfoxide represented by the formula (2) with a halogenating agent in the presence of water

    Ar.paren open-st.SOCH.sub.3-m X.sub.m).sub.n               (1)

    Ar.paren open-st.SO.sub.2 Y).sub.n                         (3)

wherein Ar is an aromatic ring or a heteroaromatic ring which is unsubstituted or which has an optional substituent or substituents, X and Y are halogen atoms, m is an integer of 0 to 3 and n is 1 or
 2. 9. The process according to claim 8, wherein X in the formula (2) is a chlorine atom.
 10. The process according to claim 8, wherein m in the formula (2) is zero.
 11. The process according to claim 8, wherein m in the formula (2) is 1 or
 2. 12. The process according to claim 8, wherein the halogenating agent is chlorine.
 13. The process according to claim 8, wherein Ar in the formula (2) and the formula (3) is a benzene ring, pyridine ring, thiophene ring, thiazole ring or isothiazole ring, said rings being unsubstituted or having an optional substituent or substituents.
 14. The process according to claim 8, wherein Ar in the formula (2) and the formula (3) is an aromatic ring or heteroaromatic ring having halogen, cyano group, nitro group, formyl group, alkylcarbonyl group, carboxyl ester group, carbamoyl group, alkyl group, alkoxyl group or substituted phenylthio group in an optional position or positions.
 15. The process according to claim 8, wherein the compound represented by the formula (3) is 2-cyanobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 4-cyanobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride or 4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride. 